An interview on PCGamesN hears from (David) Braben of Frontier (Developments) about Elite: Dangerous, the recently Kickstarted space simulation remake (thanks Polygon). This includes some details about the game, including a Sagan-esque billions and billions of stars:

The game will take place in a procedurally generated Milky Way hosting over 100 billion stars (including our own, and by extension, the planet Earth), each with anything up to one hundred bodies in them. A "truly giant galaxy of vast numbers" as Braben puts it.

Some other info-nugs the developer was happy to divulge: the game will begin some 50 years after Frontier: First Encounters, around the year 3300. And Thargoids, Elite's insectoid, warlike alien race, will definitely make their return (though in what capacity, Braben wouldn't reveal). In case you've forgotten what those bastards look like, here's one. If you're not legitimately terrified, congratulations, you are under the age of 30.

On a related note, Gamasutra offers a video from GDC 2011 where Braben discusses the development of the original Elite.

Rigs wrote on Jan 10, 2013, 17:27:Now if Chris Roberts had said the same thing...

Seriously, guys, you're nit-picking for the sake of nit-picking...

Man, I wish I could fast-forward two years and sit with both Elite and Star Citizen and compare them side by side...

=-Rigs-=

One is vaporware and the other will be a major let down.

I'm gonna hold you to that two years from now...

=-Rigs-=

So full of hate were our eyes, that none of us could see our war would yield countless dead, but never victory. So let us cast arms aside, and like discard our wrath. Thou, in faith, will keep us safe. Whilst we find The Path. - Halo:Contact Harvest

The game will take place in a procedurally generated Milky Way hosting over 100 billion stars (including our own, and by extension, the planet Earth), each with anything up to one hundred bodies in them.

And when I get this game, I will visit EACH ONE.

Also, the real Milky Way galaxy has between 200 and 400 billion stars. David, why is your game so fake?

The game will take place in a procedurally generated Milky Way hosting over 100 billion stars (including our own, and by extension, the planet Earth), each with anything up to one hundred bodies in them.

And when I get this game, I will visit EACH ONE.

Also, the real Milky Way galaxy has between 200 and 400 billion stars. David, why is your game so fake?

The game will take place in a procedurally generated Milky Way hosting over 100 billion stars (including our own, and by extension, the planet Earth), each with anything up to one hundred bodies in them.

And when I get this game, I will visit EACH ONE.

Also, the real Milky Way galaxy has between 200 and 400 billion stars. David, why is your game so fake?

Man, I wish I could fast-forward two years and sit with both Elite and Star Citizen and compare them side by side...

=-Rigs-=

So full of hate were our eyes, that none of us could see our war would yield countless dead, but never victory. So let us cast arms aside, and like discard our wrath. Thou, in faith, will keep us safe. Whilst we find The Path. - Halo:Contact Harvest